Lost In The 18th Century
by SiLvErfLaMe1
Summary: I rather thought that Edward belonged to the 18th century because he sounds so.. ancient, and wise and ancient. Yes, i shall quit it, but imagine them in 18th century  where they first met and fast forward it later to the 21st Century..
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters: ) Stephenie Meyer does. – Lise

1801

"Oh, my lady!" Mrs Christbell exclaimed and rubbed her temples, "What would madame say?"

"She wouldn't because she wouldn't see me!" I said, flicking my messy hair away from my face.

She braced herself to look at me again and immediately did a crucifix, "How are you going to answer to your father? The Swan family ancestors? Your elders?"

I shrugged, "I can't because they're up in heaven and if you could, tell them I bid them well up there and not to worry about me because I'm having a good time now." I said, and rushed away down the hall of stairs as quickly as these annoying dresses could lead me, hiding an amused smile as Mrs. Christbell exclaimed at the top of her voices, "Remember the ball tonight, Missy! Madame Renee wants you to be there!"

I waved my hands dismissively, "What did you say, Mrs. Christbell? I'm sorry, I can't hear you." I sneaked into the kitchen and a gruff voice said, "She said to attend the ball, Isabella." Phil, the cook looked at me.

I sighed, "Of all people, Phil. You have to lecture me about going to a silly ball? I thought you hated them!"

"I still do, but it's fun to see people suffer down there." Phil said, laughing, and I blew a whiff of my fringe away, "I would call you a sadist, if not for the fact that you taught me how to cook."

Phil took out a pie from the oven and I rose to take a look, "Apple pie for tonight's ball? You're losing your touch, Phil. The last time you made beautiful chocolate truffle cakes that made people worship you."

Phil motioned to me to look carefully and I did and my jaws dropped involuntarily, "Okay, I'm sorry. They'll still worship you. What you lack in physique. You sure make it up in desserts." Phil was a tall and lanky, a little too lanky I should sure, but he was nice and was an extremely talented cook who carries a torch for my mother. Too bad my mother hated desserts and loved music more. And Phil, was horrible at piano, he only knew how to create weird, loud clanging noise that causes a bad headache.

I personally could testify to that.

"Isabella? What are you doing down here?" Renee, oh, I meant my mother, waltzed in looking dreamlike and lost, 'Shouldn't you be down there at the ball? Come now, I'll get Mrs. Christbell to get you ready."

So there you go, I was unceremoniously dragged off by a beaming Mrs. Christbell who couldn't wait to get her hands on me.

-

"Is that her?" I heard faint murmuring and I hid behind my fan even more, aware that there were many eyes on me.

I took a deep breath and did a fine job of steadying myself as I walked down the stairs, the last time I tried to walk down the stairs in my manor in this dress, I fell on my bum. And it' was so painful that it wasn't even funny.

Which was just an hour ago – which would also explain why I was maintaining a cool composed face.

"Look at her, she's so arrogant! Not even a fanciful smile. Are we not worthy of Isabella Swan?" I heard one of the girls whispering loudly.

I cringed, this was going to be a lonnngggg ball.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these characters though it's really fun to work on them. Hah. They belong to Stephenie Meyer

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She lets herself go  
like **an angel in the snow**  
she lays down on her back  
down on her back - she goes…

- Dishwalla's Candleburn

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**Chapter 2: So We Meet**

The term "long" didn't even cut it. Within 3 minutes, I was already mentally dreaming about going back into bed and getting rid of this elegant gown that was poking my legs annoyingly.

I wondered what would Mrs.Christbell said if I buried the gown under my bed and feigned temporary amnesia as to where my dress had gone to and the image of Mrs. Christbell's red face made me chuckle a little that I didn't even notice a guy walking towards me with a bright eye smile, until he said, "Are you Isabella Swan?"

I hastily composed myself and straightened my back, "No, she's the one standing next to me." I said, pointing to the empty spot beside me and the guy laughed, "I'm Mike Newton, and you're really funny, Miss Swan."

"I try not to be actually." I said and Mike held out his hand, 'May I?" Was he referring to a dance?

What did Mrs. Christbell said about these situations? When a gentleman asks a lady out to dance, she must….

Right. I took out my fan and fluttered my lashes, "I'm sorry, but I've hurt my ankles today and am temporary handicapped this lovely evening…"

Mike looked disappointed, "Oh, "his smile dropped for awhile and it came back again brightly, "What about meeting my acquaintances then?"

I nodded my head lightly, "Sure, anything that doesn't require me to dance." If anyone thought that 2 left feet was horrible, they never met me, I was perpetually an ally of gravity. My bum had kissed the floor so many times, I lost track along two thousand and three.

Well, as it turned out I wasn't required to dance but I was required to put up with all the awkward stares and harsh whispers that came in my way as Mike led me through the ball to meet two other girls with perfectly coiffed hair.

"Oh, you must be Isabella, aren't you? How do you like it here so far?" the girl named Jessica asked excitedly, taking in every detail of me.

I glanced around, "Bella please, and I sure love the response I'm getting." Who wouldn't? Harsh whispers, pointed stares and some finger pointing in my direction, everything to make me feel like I didn't belong here.

Perfect really, the warm response of my admission was heartbreakingly welcoming. I was touched by the effort; I could shed some private tears.

Jessica nodded excitedly oblivious to my trail of thoughts, "This is a nice ball isn't it? We always have them, and it would be marvelous if you could always join us. In fact, Alice and I are debuting into the ton this season formally."

I nodded, my brows were lightly knotted, trying my best to seriously take that all in, "Yes, I'm sure it must be exciting for you."

"Exciting? I've been dreaming about it since I was little." Jessica said dreamily when I noticed an audible silence surrounding the room. What had happened? Had they all suddenly decided that silence was the perfect way to treat a newcomer? Me?

At this rate, I was pretty sure I would prefer harsh whispers. Yet I realized Jessica had stopped chattering as well and she was gaping in disbelief at the top of the flight of stairs leading to the main entrance. Everyone had to walk down that stairs before their names were announced.

I nearly had a minor heart palpitation when I did mine just now.

Yet, this time, it was different, everyone stood in awe silence as they watched 2 couples walking down the steps slowly, their strange behavior made me turn as well, and I saw the most beautiful couple I had ever seen. Even while I was in London and had seen many beautiful people, these 2 couples were dazzling. They were a picture of perfect serenity, and they seemed oblivious to the fact that everyone was gaping at them.

The first girl had the most beautiful smile as she smiled at her partner who had whispered something into her ears.

Jessica gasped, and whispered, "No, he can't be here too…" She was looking at the top of the steps and I followed her gaze.

I could feel my heart do a mini jump as my eyes rested on the most heartbreakingly beautiful guy I had ever seen. He was faintly smiling at something the first girl had said, and his pale face lit up when he did that. His bronze hair reflected the light nicely, and it was strange, but I felt as if he was glowing from head to toe… yet he was dressed in black… It was as if he was trying to suppress his radiance, yet I realized, as did many other girls also realized, that it wasn't working. It only made him look mysteriously surreal.

"So who is he?" I asked casually and Jessica sighed, "Edward Cullen."

"Edward…" I said softly, and suddenly, Edward seemed to pause and look in my direction for just a fraction of a second and I blinked.

Jessica shook her head dreamily, "But he'll never fall for any of us. The Cullens are too sophisticated. They live in a world of their own altogether." She said wistfully and I nodded my head absently… was it me or did Edward really hear me?

Was that even possible?

-

**Author's Note**: Welll, I'm still in the midst of my first series and I'm loving Twilight. Edward!!


	3. Chapter 3

"You know… It's strange, but Edward's looking here again, isn't he?" Jessica whispered into my ear, her eyes gleaming excitedly, "I think he's looking at me!"

"Yes that's likely, if pigs could fly and do a piggy dance," Mike said with an amused laugh and Jessica shot him an annoyed glance as she fanned herself furiously,

I smiled thinly, faintly aware that Edward seemed to be conscious of what we're saying because a light smile appeared on his face as well. My eyes narrowed suspiciously at that and once again, he threw me off guard by looking directly at me which caused my heart to palpitate more wildly than before.

At the rate my heart reacts to his stares, I really have to consider Mister Lawrence's idea pertaining to wills.

I had made up my mind to hand my mother over to Phil when I'm gone, when someone tapped the champagne glass breaking my reverie of thoughts. I glanced up to see Mister Holden, the host for tonight's ball, clapped his hands twice and servants from all corners strolled gracefully into the grand hall. Each of them carried a black marble vase that had a beautiful angel carved onto it. I noticed that only the females were reaching in to take a piece of paper out and they were giggling as they did so.

Standing beside me, Jessica rubbed her hands excitedly, "Ah, I know this game! It's fun!"

I raised my brow and asked, "What's this game about?"

"Oh, it's really easy. You'll be handed a paper crane and in the paper would be your Angel's name."

"Angel?" I said and Jessica sighed suddenly as she unfolded her crane, "Unless yours happens to be like mine. A devil," she said, crushing the paper in her palm as she turned to look at Mike's direction in disgust.

A female servant stood expectantly in front of me with a smile and a certain gleam in her eyes. I placed my hand in and took a paper, "Good luck!" She said and walked away to the next person.

With no interest, I unfolded my crane at an agonizingly slow pace to reveal my Angel's name.

My eyes glanced down and I noticed unexpectedly that it was blank, my hands were about to crush it up when an idea jolt through me and I turned it over instead.

A bold name in neat cursive was written in black, a stark contrast to the white paper, yet all that did not really bother me as much as the name on the paper did. My stomach lurched in the wrong direction and my knees were giving way, and no, I do not wish to talk about the condition of my heart.

"Uh, what are we supposed to do with this Angel person again?" I asked, this time, I was very certain I didn't want to know the answer.

"You'll have to spend the whole night with him until the ball ends, if things work out, he may call on you in the morning – with a chaperone present of course." Jessica said and continued icily, "But you know, that only happens if the guy is still alive by the end of the night."

Mike looked heartened as he looked at Jessica, "I'm touched, Jess, by your enthusiasm. It's infectious, right, Bella? Who did you get anyway?"

I held up the paper with a light nonchalant smile, "Edward Cullen."

My heart had already died on me and gone up to heaven,


	4. Chapter 4

He had his eyes closed when I finally walked towards him at an agonizingly slow pace. His lips were moving to a harmony that only he knew.

His whole being looked so surreally angelic that I was sure he was just a dream.

No one could look this perfect. Even with his eyes closed, he was intoxicatingly beautiful and it was hard to breathe around him.

I sighed, crumbling the piece of paper and decided to make my way back to Jessica when a hand grabbed mine, and I paused, turning around sharply. My eyes met a pair of eyes that were black – black like the midnight pearl, which drew everyone in. I had to remind myself to breathe after a few seconds.

He spoke first, breaking the silence and his voice was soft, yet firm when he said, "The game hasn't ended."

"It hasn't even started." I said, leaning against the wall to look at him. His features were so symmetrically perfect.

"Alright, then, what would you like to do?"

"Anything that does not includes dancing." I said firmly, and pointed to my leg, "I had twisted my ankle."

"A good dancer could handle that."

"Now, see that's why, I'm not a good dancer." I said, shaking my head, my voice came out nasally clear.

Edward looked at me, a faint amused smile on his lips, "Now, see that's why, I wasn't referring to you."

He held out his hand and waited. I folded my arms resolutely and looked at him; shaking my head looking almost like I was stepping into my own death bed.

Or worst, the dance floor.

However, Edward didn't seem to understand what shaking of one's head meant. He took my hand and swiftly placed another on my waist and led me towards the dance floor.

The close proximity made me shiver a little and Edward's grip tightened on my hand. I noticed his hands were alarmingly cold and he had a frown on his face, almost as if he was biting back something.

"You could still give up you know, dancing with me. I assure you, I wouldn't throttle you with my fan."

Edward's frown lightened, and his thin light smile was back, "Try me."

I shook my hand, and walked towards the dance floor, "I've really tried to warn you. If you end up in bed for the next say, 3 to 4 weeks, the guilt wouldn't be on my head."

Edward grinned this time; lights were dancing in his eyes, "I said to try me."

-

To my utter amazement, I was dancing. So this was what moving in coordination meant. I thought as I noticed my legs were waltzing in sync with the symphony.

And then, without even thinking, I leaned forward and closer to Edward.

It was the music and the lights that made me giddy and the fact that my heart was beating at a rate I was sure, wouldn't be classified as healthy for in the medical world.

Maybe it was all that, or perhaps it was because I was dancing with him, Edward that my senses were brought down low.

I leaned on him.

And almost as suddenly that I had leaned on him. He had withdrawn his hand and pushed me away in disdain.


	5. Chapter 5

Edward must have seen something in my eyes because his expression changed. It became softer, yet it was still detached and aloof when he said, "I apologise, Bella. I guess I'll have to call it a night." He paused as if recalling something, "And I'll find you a new partner."

I protested, "No, it's alright." I said, I didn't know which was worst, him looking in disdain at me or his evident desire to push me away to someone else.

I shook my head firmly, "I'm calling it a night too." I said and Edward looked at me for a moment. He blinked slowly and nodded his head, his lips grim, "Very well, then. Good night. Bella."

"Good night, Edward." I said stiffly, and we parted from the middle of the ball. I didn't realise I was holding my breath until Mrs.Christbell moved agilely towards me. A frown was on her brows and she glanced at Edward, "What happened, Isabella Swan?"

"Mrs.Christbell..." I paused, "Is it still raining outside?" I asked, ignoring her question and Mrs. Christbell didn't pursue it either. She glanced behind, "Yes, it is. It's milder than before though."

I nodded, "Great, let's go. I'm feeling tired from all these swirling!"

Mrs. Christbell managed a smile, "You sound like me, Isabella. And that's not good, child."

I laughed a little. Mrs. Christbell might be strict in manners, yet she still had a heart making her endearing to me. I paused in my steps, "I've always known I had an old soul lurking somewhere here." I said, pointing to my heart.

Mrs. Christbell shook her head, "Your heart's never old. It's your eyes, my dear. They seem wise for your age." She looked at my face, and then paused, "Except for the times when you feign amnesia on where you've placed your previous gowns."

My eyes widened in innocence, "That wasn't amnesia."

Mrs. Christbell widened hers in innocence too, "Oh that wasn't?"

I nodded, "I assure you, it was Phil who took it." Phil, Phil, I was sure he wouldn't mind being teased - a little.

Mrs. Christbell looked bemused as we arrived at the waiting hall for the carriages, a butler passed us our coats and I took mine. With her head tilted, she looked at me, "Next time, remind me to lock my dresses, Bella."

I chuckled a little and tightened my coat. My mother and Phil had gone back to our residence before Mrs.Christbell and I. Apparently; they had left before the rain - and the dance. It was better that Renee did not see that scene of Edward's departure. She would have personally made a visit to his residence and demanded an answer for his abrupt departure.

My mother was fiercely protective like that. She was afraid that a 'little' rejection might hurt me. I bit my lip and smiled ruefully, my eyes adjusting to the darkness outside. I wouldn't fall or crumble because of that apparent disdain in His eyes. Instead, I was surprised with myself that I wanted to find out the reason behind that apparent disdain.

A sudden jolt in the carriage made me sit up straighter in alarm. I heard loud voices outside and Mrs. Christbell and I exchanged a glance. There were 0.01 of robbery cases of in this area... surely, it wasn't the case for tonight, was it?

"Ladies out." A rough voice tapped on the carriage's door. I grimaced. I sure had a knack for drawing out the odds on myself.

Mrs. Christbell cast an anxious glance in my direction as she opened the door and climbed out of the carriage. I noticed that the carriage rider had disappeared and I crawled out at an agonising slow pace that made the masked man groaned in anger, "Don't fool around with us, young lady! What does this look like? A stroll in the park?"

I shook my head in silence and glanced up at the mask men. There were 2 of them in the front and 2 of them at the back of the carriage. They were all masked and one of them had a knife in his hand. And the one with the knife was the one standing in front of me.

"Good. Now, remove all your valuables!" He commanded as a whimper came from the back. It was Mrs.Christbell being cornered by the 2 men.

"I'll give you all the valuables, just don't hurt her!" My voice came out higher than I expected and the masked man turned to look at me.

His lips parted into a grin that made me step back. "Not so brave anymore, aren't you." He said with a taunting voice and took a step towards me.

My fists were balled up tightly and I could feel my heart thumping hard against my chest. Yet, I managed to pull an absolutely calm expression, "Just don't hurt her." I repeated firmly and I was ready to fight if I had to. I was pretty sure I had a good chance of winning him. On a scale to 100, I would say -10. It was a pretty good chance.

His brow raised, "So we could hurt you?" He asked, playing with his knife like it was an harmless toy. I took a bigger step back and my foot got caught in my dress and I stumbled near the carriage. My hands throbbed from catching my fall and I realised that there was no more room to move backwards. Think Bella, what could you do?

Yes, what Could I do? The masked man was so close to stabbing the knife through my chest and all I could do was to stare wide eye into the face of my killer when he blinked. His expression was no longer threatening and his eyes were dazed. I stared at him curiously as he dropped the knife on the ground beside me, and whistled to his boys, "Let's get out of here. These ladies are no threat to us." He said and started edging back towards the forest and out of the carriage trail.

His accomplice raised curious brows but they all shrugged and followed suit and they ducked into the forest quickly. It was suddenly silent again and I gasped, taking in quick shallow breaths as Mrs.Christbell made her way cautiously towards me.

A hapless smile tugged at my lips yet it disappeared when I saw her horrified expression. She was screaming, "Bella, move!"


End file.
